Ford · Known Issues
2013 Ford Fusion Problems: 16 Known Issues
2013 model year · 8,520+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
2013 · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
2013 model year · 8,520+ owner reports · Updated September 2026
2013 · All trims · All engines
Choose the year and equipment for your written issues and visual request.
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According to Au7o's analysis of 8,520+ owner reports, the 2013 Ford Fusion has 16 documented known issues, with 11 rated critical. The most serious are Electric Power Steering Rack Failure (Recall 15V340) ($1,200-$3,500 repair), Electric Power Steering (EPS) Failure - Sudden Loss of Assist ($0-$2,800 repair), Door Latch Pawl Spring Failure - Door Opens While Driving ($0-$0 repair), Hybrid High-Voltage Battery Degradation and Failure ($1,500-$7,000 repair), Corroded Electric Power Steering Gear Motor Bolts - Loss of Steering Assist (Recall 19V632 / Ford 19S26), Electronic Throttle Body Failure - Limp Mode and Wrench Light ($250-$550 repair), AWD Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Overheating and Fluid Leak Failure ($400-$3,100 repair), Front Brake Hose Rupture - Loss of Brake Fluid and Longer Stopping (Recall 23S12) ($0-$400 repair), Shifter Cable Bushing Detaches - Vehicle Rollaway Risk (Recall 18S20 / 22S43) ($0-$300 repair), 1.6L EcoBoost Localized Cylinder-Head Overheating and Engine Fire (Recall 14V437) ($0-$6,000 repair) and 6F35 6-Speed Automatic Harsh/Delayed Shifting and Torque Converter Shudder ($250-$3,500 repair). The most commonly reported issue is Electric Power Steering Rack Failure (Recall 15V340) with 2,800 owner reports. Across all issues with published estimates, repair costs range from $50 to $7,000. DIY maintenance guides at au7o.io.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:MANAGEMENT SYSTEM/ENERGY CONTROL MODULE (BMS/BECM)
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Fusion PHEV vehicles. The battery energy control module (BECM) may become damaged due to excessive voltage and current flow.
BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2022 Transit Connect, 2019-2020 MKZ, MKX, Edge, Continental, F-150, Nautilus, Fusion, 2019-2023 Ranger, Mustang, 2020-2021 EcoSport, Expedition, Navigator, 2020-2022 Escape, F-250 SD, Corsair, 2020-2023 Aviator, Transit, 2020-2024 Explorer, 2021-2024 Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. A software error may cause the rearview camera to display a blank image, or the image may remain on the display after the backing event has ended.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ENGINE BLOCK HEATER
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Lincoln MKC, 2016-2023 Explorer, 2019-2020 Fusion, 2019-2024 Ranger, 2020-2022 Lincoln Corsair, Escape, 2021-2024 Bronco, Bronco Sport, and 2022-2024 Maverick vehicles. The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ vehicles. The front brake hoses may rupture and leak brake fluid.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Lincoln MKZ and Ford Fusion vehicles. The steering wheel retaining bolt may loosen allowing the steering wheel to detach while driving.
+ 13 more recalls. Check all on NHTSA.gov
Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check recalls specific to your vehicle.
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According to Au7o's analysis of 8,520+ owner reports, the 2013 Ford Fusion has 16 documented issues. The most frequently reported are: Electric Power Steering Rack Failure (Recall 15V340), Electric Power Steering (EPS) Failure - Sudden Loss of Assist, Door Latch Pawl Spring Failure - Door Opens While Driving. Of these, 11 are rated critical and should be addressed promptly.
The 2013 Ford Fusion has 16 known issues documented across 8,520+ owner reports. 11 issues are rated critical: Electric Power Steering Rack Failure (Recall 15V340) and Electric Power Steering (EPS) Failure - Sudden Loss of Assist and Door Latch Pawl Spring Failure - Door Opens While Driving and Hybrid High-Voltage Battery Degradation and Failure and Corroded Electric Power Steering Gear Motor Bolts - Loss of Steering Assist (Recall 19V632 / Ford 19S26) and Electronic Throttle Body Failure - Limp Mode and Wrench Light and AWD Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Overheating and Fluid Leak Failure and Front Brake Hose Rupture - Loss of Brake Fluid and Longer Stopping (Recall 23S12) and Shifter Cable Bushing Detaches - Vehicle Rollaway Risk (Recall 18S20 / 22S43) and 1.6L EcoBoost Localized Cylinder-Head Overheating and Engine Fire (Recall 14V437) and 6F35 6-Speed Automatic Harsh/Delayed Shifting and Torque Converter Shudder. Prospective buyers should inspect for these issues and factor potential repair costs into their purchase decision. Regular maintenance following the manufacturer's schedule helps prevent many common problems.
Repair costs for known Ford Fusion issues range from $0 to $7,000, depending on the specific problem and whether you choose DIY or professional repair. The most critical issue, Electric Power Steering Rack Failure (Recall 15V340), typically costs $1,200-$3,500 to repair. Au7o provides step-by-step DIY maintenance guides that can help reduce repair costs.
NHTSA recall 15V340 covers 2011-2013 Ford Fusion (and Lincoln MKZ) without the 3.5L engine. An intermittent electrical connection in the steering gear can cause sudden loss of electric power steering assist while driving. Owners notice heavier steering effort especially at low sp… Repairs typically run $1,200-$3,500. Severity: high.
2014-2018 Ford Fusions use a different EPS module revision than the 2011-2013 recall (NHTSA 15V340) — but owners still report sudden loss of power steering assist, particularly at higher mileage. Without recall coverage, repairs are owner-paid: rack replacement typically $1,200-$… Repairs typically run $0-$2,800. Severity: high.
The 2013-2016 Ford Fusion is subject to multiple door latch recalls due to the pawl spring tab inside the side door latches fracturing. The design is susceptible to failure in high-temperature and high-humidity climates. Over 90% of warranty claims occurred in hot/humid states. A… Repairs typically run $0-$0. Severity: high.
Ford Fusion Hybrid spans two generations with different high-voltage batteries — degradation patterns differ. 1st-gen 2010-2012 (NiMH, ~1.4 kWh): typical degradation appears at 100,000-150,000 miles with reduced EV-mode range and increased ICE intervention. Replacement runs $2,50… Repairs typically run $1,500-$7,000. Severity: high.
Ford recalled 2013-2016 Fusion sedans registered or originally sold in road-salt states because the bolts holding the electric power steering gear motor to the steering gear housing can corrode. Road salt and other winter road contaminants attack the attachment bolts, and if they… Severity: high.
The electronic throttle body suffers internal contamination/wear of the motor contacts, causing intermittent electrical failure rather than simple dirt buildup. The result is a sudden loss of power (limp/failsafe mode) with the amber wrench (powertrain) warning light, rough idle,… Repairs typically run $250-$550. Severity: high.
On AWD Fusions the Power Transfer Unit holds only about a quart of gear oil with no dipstick, service interval, or cooling, sitting next to hot exhaust and transaxle. The fluid cooks and breaks down, becoming thick, gummy, and black, and the seals leak. Owners report a burning sm… Repairs typically run $400-$3,100. Severity: high.
A design flaw in the front brake hoses lets them rupture over time, leaking brake fluid and increasing stopping distance. Ford recalled roughly 1.2-1.28 million Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans (recall 23S12) in 2023 after an NHTSA investigation. A ruptured hose causes a low brake-f… Repairs typically run $0-$400. Severity: high.
A plastic bushing that attaches the shift cable to the transmission can degrade and pop off, so the transmission may be in a different gear than the shift lever indicates. The driver can shift to Park, remove the key, and walk away while the transmission is actually not in Park,… Repairs typically run $0-$300. Severity: high.
Early 1.6L EcoBoost Fusions can suffer a localized lack of coolant circulation that overheats one corner of the cylinder head; the head cracks and pushes oil/coolant onto the hot exhaust, and vehicle fires occurred while driving or after shutdown. Ford recall 14V437 covers 2013 F… Repairs typically run $0-$6,000. Severity: high.
The 6F35 six-speed automatic is prone to harsh, banging, or delayed shifts (most often 2-3 and 3-4) plus a shudder/vibration when the torque converter clutch locks up at a steady 40-60 mph cruise. Root causes are worn valve-body separator-plate O-rings and bores that can no longe… Repairs typically run $250-$3,500. Severity: high.
The MyFord Touch / SYNC 2 system (driven by the APIM module) is widely reported to freeze, go black, reboot repeatedly, lose Bluetooth pairing, and drop audio or backup-camera display. The Accessory Protocol Interface Module (APIM) has a known tendency to fail, and Ford extended… Repairs typically run $200-$900. Severity: medium.
The plastic gears inside the HVAC blend-door actuator strip out, so the door can no longer move to route air correctly. The classic symptom is a repeated clicking or knocking noise from behind the dash (often at startup or when changing temperature), along with air stuck on one t… Repairs typically run $156-$400. Severity: medium.
Many Fusion owners report the battery going dead overnight or over a weekend from a parasitic draw. Common culprits are a module that fails to sleep - Body Control Module (BCM), APIM/infotainment, or amplifier - as well as the PATS anti-theft transceiver circuit on earlier cars. Repairs typically run $150-$1,000. Severity: medium.
Gen-2 Fusions have a long-running window-module/regulator problem. A common 'bounce-back' fault makes the window roll up, hit the top, and immediately drop back down, and worn regulator gears/cables cause clicking, chattering, or grinding and can drop the glass inside the door. T… Repairs typically run $150-$450. Severity: medium.
Fusion owners frequently find water pooling in the trunk/spare-tire well and wet rear carpet. Sources include leaking taillight gaskets/plastic rivet pass-throughs, deteriorated trunk and rear-window seals, and split spot-welds in the channel under the rear glass. Standing water… Repairs typically run $50-$600. Severity: medium.
Content on this page was compiled with AI assistance using NHTSA complaints, TSBs, owner reports, and public automotive data. While we strive for accuracy, this information may contain errors. Always verify repair procedures and specifications with your vehicle's service manual or a qualified mechanic.